In July 2014, Canada enacted The Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) - strict new regulations for bulk email. The phase-in period for CASL stretched over 3 years to allow organizations to adjust their emailing practices to align with CASL's rigorous opt-in policies and rules for suppression of unwanted email.

The grace period for CASL ends July 1, 2017, and along with full enforcement come substantial administrative penalties for email law violations of up to $10 million for businesses. While there was an 11th hour stay on the right of private legal action (against spammers) announced yesterday, the reality of potential fines make it worth the effort to study up. In a recent blog post, Heather McLean explains how to ensure you're prepared for CASL to take full effect.

By the way, U.S. nonprofits are not exempt. CASL rules apply both to Canadian organization as well as any nonprofit that sends email to Canadian addresses!